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This should be no news to fans of The Wire.Jeffrey Miron and others convinced me years ago that The War on Drugs is a counterproductive failure. Let’s not forget, it’s also a question of personal liberty.

When the dogs began attacking officers and one another, police shot six of them to death and trapped the other 15.

Alejandro Campos-Rivera, 37, who lived at the home, was charged with unlawful production of cannabis plants and animal cruelty. His bail was set at $750,000 Saturday morning.

(h/t: Dan Savage)

The dogs were likely being trained for dog fighting. I’m all for stopping dog fighting, but murdering them is a funny way to help. This story reminds me of this CATO article by Radley Balko I read way back.

One of the most appalling cases occurred in Maricopa County, Arizona, the home of Joe Arpaio, self-proclaimed “toughest sheriff in America.” In 2004 one of Arpaio’s SWAT teams conducted a bumbling raid in a Phoenix suburb. Among other weapons, it used tear gas and an armored personnel carrier that later rolled down the street and smashed into a car. The operation ended with the targeted home in flames and exactly one suspect in custody—for outstanding traffic violations.

But for all that, the image that sticks in your head, as described by John Dougherty in the alternative weekly Phoenix New Times, is that of a puppy trying to escape the fire and a SWAT officer chasing him back into the burning building with puffs from a fire extinguisher. The dog burned to death.

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My last few posts which discuss police officers have been hard on them. It’s not that I have anything against cops, per se. I’m just suspicious of any authority especially ones that carry guns. Of course, police play an essential role in our society and often risk their lives for us. So anything that can help lessen that risk for them I’m for. This idea by two veteran officers is at the top of my list.